The Ties that Bind
by ImagingThings
Summary: After the events of Final Quest 6 Cutter thinks about the newest revelations about his family and remembers the ties that keep them all together. WARNING: Contains spoilers from the first six issues of Final Quest (and The Special)


"This is strange." Cutter said to Skywise once his soulbrother had returned from dropping off Dart and Freetouch with Ember's tribe, "My little cousin is a grandmother."

"So are you. A grandsire that is, not a grandmother."

"I know that. But Korafay hasn't recognized Windkin, has she?"

There was a comfortable silence after that as everyone relaxed beneath the shade of the Father Tree. With a smile Cutter looked at his tribe mates; they were all there, all those who should be, there were some who were happily living with Ember, and some who were in the Palace as spirits.

"You know what I just realised?" He asked after some time. "Of the two-eights and one of us who passed through the desert all those many years ago, only Skywise, Pike, Scouter and Newstar have not yet become grandparents."

"Oh, but I am a grandsire." Skywise retorted, "Is Yun not my daughter?"

"Yes…"

"Is Khorbasi not her son?"

"I suppose so."

"Then I'm Khorbasi's grandsire."

"It's not quite the same, is it?"

"Is Shukopek your grandson?"

"Of course he is."

"Because he's the son of your adopted daughter. Well, Khorbasi is the adopted son of my daughter. The only difference is at which point the adoption happened. Oh, and while we're at it; I'm pretty sure Scouter would say that he is Teir's grandsire."

Cutter had to admit that there was a lot of truth to what Skywise was saying; why – after all – did he have any more right to call Shukopek his grandson, than Skywise had to call Khorbasi his? Not only that; he had called both One-Eye as well as Strongbow and Moonshade grandparents, even though the former had died long before his grandson had been born, and the latters' grandson had lived and died during the Long Wait.

"Moonshade?" He asked tentatively, not wanting to disturb the happiness of the tanner and her lifemate, which in these days had become so rare.

"Yes?"

"Do you think of yourself as a grandmother, even though your grandson both lived and died while we slept?"

"Of course. At first when Dart told me about how he had recognized Wing's daughter I was rather shocked, but that was mostly because in my mind I still thought of Wing as a little cub, not someone old enough to be a sire, let alone a grandsire. I have spoken with Bowki in the Palace; even though I will never get to meet him in the flesh he will always have a place in my heart, just like Crescent will." There was a hint of sadness in her voice at the last bit, it was clear that the pain of losing her first child so long ago had never entirely left her.

*Look at Sunstream.* Strongbow suddenly sent, having without doubt listened in on the conversation between his chief and his lifemate.

Turning around Cutter saw Sunstream sitting against the roots of the Father Tree, his eyes closed; it was clear that he had 'gone out' undoubtedly to speak to Brill. The look on Sunstream's face showed that while he had stayed with the Wavedancers because he had been unable to leave his lifemate and newborn daughter behind he was content with the fact that, for the time being, his duty as 'the link' meant that communication with his family had to be on the spirit plane. Besides, that was how he and Brill had met in the first place.

When Leetah and Skywise had told him that Sunstream had chosen to stay behind to raise his daughter Cutter had not really been surprised, not only had he been slightly more occupied with the sudden reappearance of Windkin, but in a way he had known that it would be so, and he had been glad. It had been strange that none of his children were living with him, but it had not in any way been like during those terrible long year he had waited after his family had been stolen, or even how it had been when the tribe had first split. No matter where they were, Cutter always felt the presence of his cubs – all three of them – in his heart.


End file.
